Level-quadrant for high-elevation guns.



N0. 655,56l. Patented Aug. 7, I900. J, KURIG. LEVEL OUADRANT FOR HIGH ELEVATION GUNS.

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Lilia E5525 AttElll E L|- No. 655,56l. Patented Aug. 7, I900. .1. KURIG.

LEVEL OUADRANT FOR HIGH ELEVATION GUNS.

' (Application filed May 17, 1900.)

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I elevation of the gun.

UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE.

JOSEF KURIG, OF ESSEN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO FRIED. KRUPP, OF

SAME PLACE.

LEVEL-QUADRANT FOR HIGH-ELEVATION GUNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 655,561, dated August 7, 1900.

Application filed May 17, 1900.

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOsEF KURIG, a citizen of the German Empire, residing at Essen-onthe-Ruhr, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in LeVeLQnadrants for High-Elevation Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in level-quadrants for high-elevation guns, and has for its object to enable the gunner to adjust the gun to the proper elevation without the use of firing-tables.

It is well known that for all high-elevation guns powder charges of different weights'are provided, so that according to distance a charge may be selected allowing the greatest possible elevation together with the greatest possible striking angle. The level-quadrants hitherto used consist simply of a spirit-level, which may be adjusted to different angles on a vertical graduated arc. In using such quadrants after the distance of the target has been ascertained the firing-table must first be consulted as to the proper powder charge for the desired striking angle and the corresponding Then only the levelquadrant may be set to the elevation thus determined and the gun pointed in the wellknown manner.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the annexed drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, showing the application of my invention to the class of level-quadrants hitherto used. Fig. 2 is an end View of Fig. 1, partly in section, seen from the right. Fig.8 is a vertical section on the line IIIIII, Fig. 1, seen from the left. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line IV 1V, Fig. 1, the level-casing being shown in top view. Fig. 5 is a section corresponding to Fig. at, but showing some additional parts in top view. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line VI VI, Fig. l. Fig. 7 shows the distance-scale developed in a plane. Fig. 8 illustrates in front elevation my improvement as applied to a level-quadrant of a construction differing essentially from the one hitherto used. Fig. 9 is the corresponding end view from the left. Fig. 10 is a vertical section on the line X X, Fig. 8, viewed from the left. Fig. 11 is a section on the line Serial No. 16,962. (No model.)

XI XI, Fig. 8, viewed in the direction of the arrow.

Similar letters and numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the'drawings.

Like the level-quadrants hitherto used, the instrument illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 has an angular frame a, a graduated are b, and a spirit level g the support fof which is arranged to turn on the center of the graduated arc in a plane parallel to the plane of the arc.

. The angle to which the level-supportfis adjusted is read off on thegraduated are by means of a vernier'q. forms part of or is rigidly connected to a cas- The level-support f 6 5' ing 6, journaled on the frame a by pins 6?. i

The level is constructed to slide in ways '0 of its support f, whereby the angle of the level in relation to the casing'e is changed. This angle is adjusted-that is, the level moved on the arc to the right or left-by a thumbscrew if, provided with a traveling nut engaging a socket in the bottom of the level, an index-hand onthe' level opposite a scale on the arched part of the support findicating the angular change. The object of this arrangement is to eliminate the angle due to the difference of level between the gun and the target. The casing 0 contains a drum m and is closed at the outer right-hand end, Figs. 4 and 5, by a screw-plug w, from which a, screw-shank h with a square left-hand thread projects and engages a corresponding internal thread of the drum m. A spindle i is journaled concentrically to the drum and has a square part a, which passes through a corresponding square hole in the bottom of the drum m. k is a button or hand-wheel for turning the spindle i and withit the drum m, which through its engagement with the screwshank h is thereby moved in the direction of the axis. A pinion Zis mounted on theshaft t' and engages a toothed are or rack c on the graduated are I). r is a curved guard-plate secured to the frame a and provided with a slot 3, through which the shaft '11 passes.

When the several parts described are in the relative positions shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 6 and the button is is turned to the right, the pinion l, rolling on the rack 0, turns the drumcase 6, together with the spirit-level g and the Vernier q, around the pins d, the shaft '5 being guided within the slot 8. At the same time the square part 92 of the spindle 1', engaging the bottom of the drum m, turns the latter to the right, whereby the drum is screwed upon the fixed screw-shank 72. until it abuts against the plug/w, each point of the drum traveling in a screw-line determined by the direction and pitch of the thread on the shank h. The parts are so proportioned that when the pinion reaches the outer end of the rack c-that is, when the level has reached the highest angular position on the quadrant-the drum m abuts against the plug to, thereby preventing further motion of the drum-case and of the level-support. A suit-.

able number of windows to p are providedin the top part of the casing e with indexmarks 0 too, and upon the outer cylindrip-a1 surface of the drum a corresponding,

number of graduation-marks are placed, which are arranged on a left-hand spiral of the same pitch asthescrew-thread of the.

shank h. In the position of the drum, in

shownin Fig. 5 the zero-points, of these spi-.

rals are opposite the marks 0, to 0 By this arrangement of the drum theturning of p the button 7c causeseach scale to passalong the mark on its window. The number of win= dowsfand scales is governed. by the number of different Weights of powder charge, one window and. scale being provided for each weight. Fig. 7 showsa. development of the spiral graduation on a larger scale, the divisions being so made that when. the level islset to acertain angle of elevation the index-Inarks on the windows will point out the distance in metersat which, with, the correspondingpowder charge, the projectile will hit the target when the gun is elevated to the angle of the level. Assuming, for example, that the wind ow p is arranged, for a charge of fourhundred, grams, window 19 for three hundredand fifty, and each succeeding window forfifty grams less, and further assuming that at anelevation of thirty degrees and a charge of four hundred grams, the gun will have a range oftfive thousandmilimeters, and with a charge of three hundred and fifty gramsa range of four thousand four hundredmilimeters. Then when the level isset. to thirty degrees the number of 5000 must appear at 0 and 4400 at 0 The improved instrument is used as follows when firing from howitzers: Taking it for granted that for obtaining a proper angle of The position of, the level is then corrected to descent or of striking, which angle, as is well known, always is somewhat. larger than the elevation of the gun, the latter should be at least. thirty degrees, the level of the quadrant.

is set. to thirty degrees by t-urningthe knob is. Then the number nearest to the required range is looked up on the scalesv beneath the windows, when the corresponding window will indicate the powder chargeto-be used.

the proper angleby turningthe knob is until the fixedindex at the window for the proper charge points. to the required range. Anotherway of proceeding is to turn the knob until the required range appears at the window for the charge assumed from experience to be the proper one. If then the angle 'shown on the quadrant is not at least thirty degrees, the assumed charge is too heavy, and

the quadrant must be set for a smaller charge and the required range. After the level has been adjusted to the proper angle by one of the methods the gun is turned to the proper angle in the well-known manner. To guard against errors in adjusting for a distance and to be able to conveniently assure correct adjustment, a sliding index may be provided on the drum-case, whichis set tothe window corresponding to the selected powder charge, or all thewindows but the one might beshut.

When the, dimensions of' the pin-ionlareso,

taken that it passes over the whole of the.

rack cat. a single revolution. or apart of one revolution, the graduations. on the drum m need not be on a spiral, but may-beonannular zones, and no spiral. motion of the drum, but only rotation of the same, would; beige; quired. Such an arrangement, however,

while practicable for the usual construction of level-quadrants, as shown in Eigs. 1 to6,

would not constitute a convenient instru;

ment, owing to the necessarily-large diame; ter of the drum m.

In Eigs. Sto 11 1 have shown alevel-qnadrant with a rotary drum without; axial, mo; tion and which is not an adaptation. of the construction of the level-quadranthitherto used to thepresent purposes. The quadrant frame 1 is formed with concave ways2 for, the level-support 3.

thearc of a circle, so that the angle. due t9 the difference .of level may, be eliminatedin the usual manner by turlning-thescrew 6.

The frame has a hollow gudgeon 22, onwhich, the drum 8 turns without havingv axial. 1110 tion, which motion is prevented by the pins9,

screwed intothe rim of thehollow gudgeon,

and projecting into anannular groove lIO'of the drum. The drum 8 has'a. milledraised;

border llfor adjusting it byhand, andgearteeth 12, engaged by a pinion 13 atone end of a shaft 14, whichis journaledonthe framed.

of the level-support 3.

part 17 of whichpartly surroundsthedrum,

while the part l8.serves asa. guard for-the.

pinion 13. One of the scales 5 to 5-(by. pref;

erence :5 is provided with agradnationand.

on thepart 17 of theattachment-is.a,horizontal index 26.

The spirit-level; 1.6 is; guided in ways of the. suppo'rtS, curved to- V sr dua ssuc -astm always indicate the angle-at which the-level and its support have been turned by turning the drum, for which reason no graduation and no index are required on the frame 1 and the level-support 3. The scales 5 to 5 have distance-divisions in meters and as to number and division are arranged like the scales above described in relation to Figs. 1 to 6. To be enabled to set the drum to the powder charge selected and to the distance of the target, a window 20 is arranged to slide in a horizontal slot of the part 17 of the attachment. The window can be adjusted to any one of the scales 5 to 5 for different powder charges by means of an index 21 thereon and marks 7 to 7 and is clamped by a nut 23. The respective distance for which the drum is set is then read off at the horizontal index 19 of the window. When using the instrument, the window 20, with its vertical index 21, is adjusted to the mark for the powder charge selected-for instance, 7 on the part 17. The drum 8 is then turned byhand until the division of the scale (in this case 5 corresponding to the distance of the target is opposite the horizontal index 19. The level has then the elevation required for the distance and powder charge. In the usual manner the gun is then raised to the proper elevation after eventually the angle due to the diiference of level of gun and target has first been taken care of by turning the screw-spinle 6.

What I claim as new is- 1. Alevel-quadrant forhigh-elevation guns containinga rotatable drum carrying on its periphery a plurality of scales and positive means for making the angular motion of the drum proportional to the angular motion in-' dicated by the quadrant, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the frame of alevelquadrant for high-elevation guns; a level and its support adjustable to different angles in the frame; a scale and index showing the angle to which the level-support is adjusted; a rotatable drum carrying on its surface aplurality of scales, each scale showing by an index the range for a special powder charge at different elevations of the gun, the movable parts connected for equal or proportional relative angular motion between the scales and their indices, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the frame of alevelquadrant for high-elevation guns; a level and its support adjustable to different angles in the frame; a scale and index showing the angle to which the level-support is adjusted; a rotatable drum carrying on its surface aplurality of spiral scales, each scale showing by an index the range for a special powder charge at difierent elevations of the gun, the

movable parts connected for equal or propor witnesses.

JOSEF KURIG. Witnesses:

WILLIAM ESSENWEIN, ERIC LIEBER. 

